Launching Statement of the Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War

The Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War was initiated by a coalition of individuals based in Japan, from a wide range of fields of expertise. Featured here is their joint statement , made to launch the planning of the Conference.

Article 9, in its simplest form, is the section of the Japanese Constitution that renounces war and restricts the use of armed force, laying a foundation of peace in Japan that has been unbroken for over 60 years. But beyond this, it is a global principle. Our interactions with citizens and NGOs in Asia and worldwide have led us to the firm conviction that Article 9 is the shared property of all the world’s citizens who wish for peace.

Article 9 was a vow, made to Asia and to the world, that Japan would never again go to war. It goes without saying that this vow was born out of remorse for the horrors of the Asia-Pacific War. It put a stop to Japan’s militaristic imperialism and military actions overseas, and so continues to act as the basis for the relationships of peace and mutual trust between Japan and other Asian nations.

Currently, the situation in Iraq has reached an impasse, and the Middle East has entered another extremely critical period. Moreover, the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula is pushing East Asia towards a new arms race and the threat of war. In today’s world, where the chain of violence and war continues unbroken and militarization is gathering speed, the existence of Japan’s Article 9 provides encouragement to the many citizens of the world who aspire to and work towards “a peace that does not rely on force”. Furthermore, through cutting military expenditure, Article 9 contributes to global NGO efforts around the world in eradicating poverty and bringing about a sustainable society. We believe that Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution constitutes a world-class model for peace and should be protected as a global treasure for future generations.

The Hague Appeal for Peace Civil Society Conference, held in May 1999, sent out the following call to action: “The legislature of each country should adopt a resolution similar to that in Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, forbidding their government to go to war”. The World Peace Forum, held in June 2006 in Vancouver, called in its closing statement for “governments to constitutionally renounce war (e.g. Japan’s Article 9)”. International support for Article 9 is unquestionably growing.

Despite this, there are increasingly vocal calls from within Japan to get rid of this article of the Constitution. The move to amend Article 9 for the worse gathered speed during Prime Minister Abe’s tenure. However, most of the arguments for amendment failed to take into account the position of Article 9 in the world. We believe that there is a need for us, together with world citizens and NGOs, to launch a major movement supporting Article 9 as the shared property of the whole world, calling for a global peace that does not rely on force.

Consequently, we propose to hold a large-scale Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War in Japan in May 2008. This conference will bring together voices from around the world in support of Article 9. We plan to invite the world’s leading thinkers and cultural figures, including recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, and hope to make clear the international significance of Article 9. We intend to create a forum for the citizens of the world to discuss what they can do to realize the ideal, expressed in Article 9, of establishing peace without relying on force.

Several Nobel Peace Prize laureates have expressed a strong interest in the plans for the Global Article 9 Conference. These include Jody Williams (International Campaign to Ban Landmines), Mairead Maguire (Northern Irish peace activist), Shirin Ebadi (Iraqi activist for women’s rights) and Wangari Maathai (Kenya’s Green Belt Movement). We will also invite leaders and activists from many countries that have, or aim to have, nonmilitary constitutions or models. The Conference will consist of a combination of large-scale lectures, workshops, and a number of events hosted by international NGOs in order to attract a total of around 10,000 participants. We also hope that principal guests from overseas will agree to travel around Japan to participate in a variety of Conference -related events.

Cora Weiss, President of the Hague Appeal for Peace Civil Society Conference of 1999 and former President of the International Peace Bureau, has already pledged her full support for the Global Article 9 Campaign and Conference. Furthermore, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC–an international NGO network established in response to a call by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan) and the International Association of Democratic Lawyers have both resolved to support the Conference.

In tandem with these international developments, the Japan Organising Committee of the Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War came into being on 29January, 2007. In order to make the Conference a success, we rely on the intelligence and strength of as many people as possible, and so we ask for your participation and support.

We, the following, support the Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War:

Alexander, Ronni (Professor, Kobe University Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies)

Amamiya Karin (Author)

Aoki Keisuke (Japan Union for Nature Conservation)

Arai Junichi (Textile artist)

Arima Raitei ( Chief abbot of the Shokokuji Branch of the Rinzai Zen School, Head Priest of Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji Temples)